Can



July 28, 1936. H. SEBELL 2,049,228

CAN

Filed Sept. 27, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet l 'invenTor. Harry Se b e H by ea/wl MMZM ATTys Jul 28, 1936. SEBELL 2,049,228

' CAN Filed Sept. 27, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inv e nTo'r.

Hurry Sebell A'Hys.

July 28, 1936. SEBELL 2,049,228

CAN

Filed Sept. 27, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 10.

lnvenToT.

y Sebe H b /M MtQW AITys.

Patented July 28, 1936 STATES PATET OFFICE CAN Application September 27, 1934., Serial No. 745,731

4 Claims.

This invention relates to containers having removable and replaceable covers and particularly to means for looking or retaining the cover on the container body.

The invention is herein illustrated as applied to a container in the form of a can and in the following description the container is referred to as a can. This invention, however, is not limited to containers of the can type but may be applied to other types of containers.

In accordance with the present invention the cover for the container is constructed so that normally it has an outwardly-curved shape, but when pressure is applied thereto the outwardlycurved portion will snap by a neutral or central position into a concavely-curved position, the movement from the convexly-curved normal position into the concavely-curved position taking place with a snap action.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel construction by which a cover of this type will be locked to the can body when it is forced or sprung from the convexly-curved position to the concavely-curved position, and will be unlocked from the can body by a pulling force applied thereto sufiicient to spring the cover from the concavely-curved shape to the convexly-curved shape.

In carrying out my invention I provide the can body with an interior downwardly-facing shoulder at its open end, and I also provide the cover with a locking element adapted to be forced underneath the shoulder when the cover is forced from the convex shape into the concave shape, thereby locking the cover to the can body, and to be withdrawn from said shoulder, thereby unlocking the can cover by the movement from the concave shape to the convex shape.

The operation of locking the cover to the container, therefore, involves simply spacing the cover in position on the container and then applying suificient pressure to the cover to spring it from the convex shape into the concave shape.

' Similarly, the operation of unlocking and removing the cover involves simply applying sufficient pulling force to the cover to spring it from the concave shape to the convex shape, thereby unlocking the cover and then removing the cover in the ordinary way.

In order to give an understanding of the inyention, I have illustrated some embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawings which will now be described.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a cover for a can body showing one form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view of a can body adapted for use with the can cover shown in 1 Fig. 1, said Fig. 2 showing the cover in dotted lines as it is first applied to the can but before it is locked thereto.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the can cover locked to the .can.

Fig. 4 is an underside view of the cover.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing a cover having a difl'erent embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing the cover illustrated in Fig. 5 locked to the can body.

Fig. 8 is an underside view of the cover shown in Fig. 5. 1

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 5 but illustrating a different embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 10 shows a portion of a can body with which the cover shown in Fig. 9 is adapted to be use Fig. 11 is a sectional view showing the cover illustrated in Fig. 9 locked to the can body.

Fig. 12 is an underside view of the cover shown in Fig. 9.

Referring first to Figs 1 to 4, l indicates a portion of a can body and 2 indicates generally a cover or can end embodying one form of my invention and which is designed to be used with the can body I. The can body. I" has the open end 3 and it is provided at its open end with an interior downwardly-facing locking shoulder 4. This shoulder can be formed in various ways without departing from the invention. One convenient way is to roll or curl the top edge of the can body over in an inward direction to form the interior bead 5, the under face of the bead constituting the locking shoulder 4.

The cover 2 is constructed with an annular portion 5 adapted to rest on and engage the top edge 1 of the can body, and the central portion of the cover has an outwardly-curved or bumped shape as seen in Fig. 1, and the cover is so made that when pressure is applied thereto, the central portion thereof will be sprung or snapped into an inwardly or concavely-curved shape as shown in Fig. 3.

The cover is also constructed with a locking portion 8 which is adapted to interlock with the locking shoulder 4 to lock the cover to the can and the construction is such that when the can cover is snapped or forced from its convexlycurved shape into its concavely-cur'ved shape the locking portion 8 is expanded sufiiciently in a radial direction to bring it into interlocking engagement with the locking shoulder of the can cover 2, each arm having at its lower end a lip or bead forming part of the entire locking portion 8. These arms l2 may be provided for in various (the cover to change the shape thereof from the ways. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4,

said arms l2 are formed as sections or a skirt or flange 9 which depends from the under face oi the cover, said flange being slit vertically'as shown at H to provide the separate arms l2. .The lower edge of the skirt 9, and consequently the lower end of each arm I; is curled over t9 form a bead which provides the locking portion 8. The skirt or flange 9 from which the arms l2 are formed is rigidly connected to the cover so that when the cover is changed from the convex shape shown in Fig. 1 to the concave shape shown in Fig. 3, the skirt 9 will be expanded slightly and the arms will move outwardly in a radial direction.

The arms I! are formed in the first instance so that when the cover is applied to the open end of the can as shown in dotted lines Fig. 2, the looking portion 8 will be entered through the bead 5 on the can. After the can cover has been placed in position on the can end, then sufficient pressure is applied to the cover to cause the central portion thereof to spring or snap from its outwardly or convexly-curved position shown in Fig. 1 to the depressed or concavely-curved position shown in Fig. 3. This shifting of position of the central portion of the can cover causes the lower ends of the arms to move outwardly,

thereby bringing the locking portion 8 underneath and into locking engagement with the looking shoulder 4 as shown in Fig. 3.

The cover illustrated in Fig. 1 is provided with a rim or exterior skirt portion it which embraces the top edge of the can. If the can is to be tightly sealed, I propose to employ a. sealing gasket l4 between the portion 6 of the cover and the top edge I of the can body. This gasket may be in the form of a sealing compound applied either to the annular portion 6 of the cover or to the top edge I of the can body as is com monly done in sealing tin cans. 4

In order to open the can, the first operation is to apply a sufiicient pulling force to "the can cover to snap it from the depressed or concavely-curved shape shown in Fig. 3 to the bumped or convexly-curved shape shown in Fig. 1, this operation serving to withdraw the locking portion 8 of the cover from under the locking shoulderl. Continued pulling force applied to the cover will then separate it from the can body. To facilitate this change in shape of the cover, I will preferably provide it with a ring [5. This ring not only provides means by which the necessary pulling force may be applied to the can cover'to unlock it from the can,,but also provides means for removing the cover from the can. After the can has been opened and some or all of the contents have been discharged, the cover may be then replaced on the can and locked thereto by the simple operation of applying sufficient force to convexlyrcurved shape of Fig. 1 to the concavelycurved shape of Fig. 3.. My improved cover,-

' therefore, is a replaceable one which can be rereadily locked vto'the can each time it is replaced thereon.

. If the can is one and one in which vacuum conditions exist inside moved asoften as, desired, and .which may be which isfhermetically sealed the can, it may be. necessary to break the vacuum beforethe cover can be removed. 1 To provide for this I propose to secure the ring I5 to an'anchoring member l6 which has a stem portion ll extending'through the cover and a head portion l8 on the'inside or the cover. -This head portion It can be soldered tothe, cover as shown at 40 in such a way as to make a non-leakable joint,-but so that when a twisting force'is applied to the ring I5, the soldered connection 40 between the head portion I8 and the underside of the can cover will be broken. If, therefore, the can is one which has the vacuum conditions inside, the breaking or the vacuum can be accomplished by twisting the ring l5, and thereby breaking the soldered connection between the anchoring member I6 and the cover. This will allow sufiicient air to enter the can to destroy the vacuum, and when the cover has been unlocked by changing its shape from that shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 1, the cover can be readily removed.

In Figs. 5 to 8 I have shown a diiierent embodiment of the invention in which the locking portion of the cover is integral therewith instead of being formed on a separate piece soldered thereto.

In said Figs. 5 to 8, l indicates the can body which is similar to that shown in Fig. 2, it having the interior bead 5 at its open end which provides the downwardly-facing interior locking shoulder 4. The can cover is shown at H and in forming the cover the peripheral portion of the blank from which the cover is made is bent inwardly as shown at 20 and then downwardly as shown at 2! to provide a skirt portion,

the lower edge 22 or which is formed with a rib or bead that constitutes the locking portion of the can cover. This skirt portion 2! is provided with the slits 23 so that the skirt is resilient in a radial direction, these slits dividing the skirt into separate sections 26, each of which has a locking portion 22 at its lower edge. In this form of can cover the two-ply peripheral portion 25 is the annular portion which engages the top edge I of the can body and the separate sections 24 of the skirt 2| formed by the slits 23 constitute arms which depend from the can cover, and which are provided at their lower ends with the bead or lip 22 which constitutes the locking portion. In this embodiment also the change in shape of the cover from the convex shape to the concave shape causes the arms 24 to move outwardly to bring the lower ends thereof into locking engagement with the locking shoulder of the can body. The cover shown in Figs. 5 to 8 is also provided with the pull ring I5 as in the other embodiment of the invention. The can cover shown in Figs. 5 to 8 operates in the same way as that shown in Figs. 1 to 4. In applying the cover to the can body the cover is first put in position as'shown in Fig. 5, during which operation the resilient skirt 23 and the locking portion 22 is entered into' the mouth of the can snap it from the outwardly-curved shape shown in Fig. 5 into the inwardly or concavely-curved shape shown in Fig.' 7.. This change in shape causes the locking portion 22 to expand outward- -ly into locking engagement with the locking shoulder as clearly seen-in Fig. 7..

The can may be opened by first applying a pulling strain to the ring 15 which will snap the cover from the concavely-curved shape into the convexly-curved shape, thereby contracting the locking portion 22 and withdrawing it from locking engagement 'with' the shoulder 4. The

cover then may be removed by applying further pulling strain to the ring ii.

In Figs. 9 to 12 I have shown a difierent embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment the can body which is indicated at 26 is formed at its open end with the interior downwardlyiacing shoulder 21, and this shoulder may be formed conveniently by providing the top edge of the can with the interior bead 28. The can body is deformed also by providing it with the interior rib 29 directly below the downwardlyfacing shoulder 27. The can cover is indicated at 30 and it is shown as provided with the annular grooved portion 3! to receive the head 28 at the top edge of the can, and with the skirt portion 32 to embrace the upper end of the can. In the construction shown in Fig. 9 the locking portion of the can cover is in the form of a plurality of radial arms 38 which are rigidly secured at their inner ends to the underside of the cover as shown at 36, the outer end 3% of each arm being free from the cover and slightly spaced therefrom. These locking arms 33 have such dimension that when the cover is applied to the can body the arms will enter the open end of the can and rest against the upper face of the rib 29 as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 10. The cover to is made so that while normally it has the convemy-curved shape shown in Fig. 9, yet when pressure is applied thereto, it will snap or spring into the concavely-curved shape shown in Fig. ii. This change of shape from the convex curvature to the concave curvature causes a slight outward movement of the ends oi the locking arms 33 which forces them under the locking shoulder 2? as shown in Fig. 11. This interlocking of the locking arms with the locking shoulder is assisted by the engagement of the ends of the arms with the upper; face of the rib 29 during the snapping of the cover from the convex shape to the concave shape.

when the can is to be opened. a pulling force is applied to the pull ring 96 which first snaps the cover from the concave shape of Fig. 11 to'the convex shape of Fig. 9, thereby withdrawing the ends 35 of the locking arms from beneath the locking shoulder 21. A further pull on the pull ring will remove the cover entirely from the can body.

In all embodiments of the invention the can body is provided with an interior locking shoulder, and the cover is provided with an expansible locking portion adapted to engage the locking shoulder and is constructed so that such engagement is efiected by applying a pressure to the cover in an axial direction, thereby snapping or springing the cover from the convex shape to the concave shape. In all embodiments of the invention also the removal or the cover involves first applying a pulling force thereto to snap it from the concave shape to the convex shape, which operation withdraws the looking portion of the cover from looking engagement with the locking shoulder. and then continuing the pulling iorce on the cover to withdraw it from the can body. My improved cover is not only adapted to seal the can in the first instance, but is capable of use as a replaceable cover since it can be readily replaced on the can after it has been opened, and can be locked to the can simply by snapping the cover from the convex shape to the concave shape.

While I have illustrated in the drawings several embodiments of the invention and-have also shown the invention as applied to a container in the form of a can, yet the invention is not limited to the construction shown nor to a container in the form of a can as it will be obvious that the principle or the invention may be embodied in other structures and containers other 5 than cans made of sheet metal. Hence, in the specification and claims the term can" is used in a general sense as meaning any suitable container to which the invention is applicable.

I claim:

1. A can construction comprising a can body having an interior annular locking shoulder at its open end, a cover normally having a convex curvature but adapted to be forced into a concave shape with a snap action, a locking element 15 carried by the cover and adapted to be forced into locking engagement with the locking shoulder by the movement of the cover from the convex shape to the concave shape, an anchoring member extending through the cover and her- 2o metically sealed thereto by an easily disruptable connection and a pull ring secured to said arrchoring member whereby a twisting force applied to the pull ring will break the hermetic seal.

2. A can construction comprising a can body 935 having an interior annular locking shoulder at its open end, a cover which normally has a convex curvature but is adapted to be forced into a concave shape by pressure applied thereto, an annular locking element carried by the cover and so adapted to be forced into locking engagement with the locking shoulder by the movement of the cover from the convex shape to the concave shape, and a pull ring connected to the cover with an easily dlsruptable hermetic seal whereby a pulling force applied to the pull ring will snap the cover from its concave to its convex shapeand a twisting force applied to the pull ring will break the hermetic seal.

3. A can construction comprising a can body having an interior locking shoulder at its open end and also having an interior bead below the locking shoulder, a cover which is normally convexly-curved but is adapted to be sprung into a concavely-curved shape and a plurality oi radially-extending locking arms secured to the un derside of the cover, the outer ends of the arms being forced outwardly into locking engagement with said shoulder by the movement of the cover from the convex shape to the concave shape, the ends of said arms. when in looking position, being confined between said shoulder and said bead.

d. A can construction comprising a can body having an interior locking shoulder at its open end and also having an interior bead below the locking shoulder, a removable and replaceable cover which is normally convexly-curved but is adapted upon application of pressure thereto in one direction to be sprung into a conoavely- 60 curved shape, and upon application of pressure thereto in the opposite direction to be sprimg into the convexly-curved shape and a plurality of radially extending locking arms secured to the underside of the cover, the outer ends of the arms being forced outwardly into locking engagement with said shoulder by the movement of the cover from the convex shape to the concave shape, said ends of the arms being withdrawn from looking engagement with the shoulder by the movement of the cover from the concave shape to the convex shape. the ends of said arms, when in looking position. being confined between said shoulder and said head.

HARRY SEBELL. 7 

